Summer Secrets
by HQuin809
Summary: Gideon Gleeful decided that his best friend, Pacifica Northwest just couldn't miss out on a summer in Gravity Falls, Oregon. Even a sleepy town in the middle of nowhere has it's secrets, just ask the mysterious twins in the Tent of Telepathy.
1. Summer Begins A Train Stop Away

**_Hi there! This is my first story I've ever written/published on this site. Feel free to message me with any concerns or tips regarding formatting, writing, etc. I appreciate the constructive criticism!_**

 ** _I want to be clear that Gideon is 14, Pacifica is 16, and the Pine's twins are both 17. I know Pacifica and Gideon are referred to as children, but I used that as a very open term for anyone under 18. Pacifica and Gideon are strictly best friends, nothing else._**

 ** _~~Warning~~_**

 ** _Story will contain: Blood, violence, 'torture', 'kidnapping' (in quotes because I'm debating plot lines at the moment). If you feel I should add another warning while I'm writing, feel free to tell me._**

* * *

~Pacifica Northwest's p.o.v.~

" _Slapjack!_ " I screeched and enthusiastically claimed the jack of spades with a loud thump. Gideon jerked his hand back and narrowly missed my fingertips colliding with his. An older woman a few seats back loudly hushed us and my cheeks started burning in response.

"Do you think we can play a different card game? All this jack-slapping is making my hand go red." He complains while rubbing his raw fingertips, which in all fairness could have been quicker. The train is chugging by at a fast pace, evergreens and glimpses of mountains speed by in a headache inducing blur. Even stuck in this metal box I can't help but notice how much fresher the air is.

"I think I'm done kicking your butt for now, let's just talk. I'm really nervous about meeting your Great-Uncle for the first time. You are 6200% positive he is okay having you _and_ me for the whole summer?" I must have asked this 5 times already but I can't help being anxious. He rolls his eyes and scoffs at me.

"Pacifica, if you weren't welcome at the Mystery Shack, you wouldn't be on this train _torturing me_ with card games." He tries to stare me down but breaks into a huge grin.

"Next stop, Gravity Falls Station. Please gather all belongings and wait for the train to come to a complete stop before exiting. Thank you." A gruff voice interjects over the intercom. I bounce happily in my seat and pull out my disposable camera. Gideon pulls me into a side-hug and we stick our tongues out playfully, the camera clicks and we are officially beginning the best summer vacation of all time.

* * *

"Welcome to Gravity Fall's kiddos! Nice to meet'cha Parcheesi, but I bet it's even nicer getting to meet the Ol' Mr. Mystery!"

"Um... it's Pacifica actually. Like the ocean just west of here?" He is grinning creepily and I can't help but stare. His graying hair sticks out of his fez messily, he's wearing a wrinkled suit that looks anything but professional.

"Hey Gideon, what's shaking? Still haven't dyed your snow white hair yet I see. I'm telling you, blue will get you noticed by all the ladies! Maybe a specific blonde one with braces and a glittery sweater..." He trails off and winks. Gideon pulls his hat down over his eyes in embarrassment and Stan starts hooting with laughter. Sure he's a bit eccentric but so am I, and I can't help but feel so at home surrounded by so many trees so I brush off his odd welcome.

"Thanks for having us for the summer Mr. Gleeful, I'm really glad I could get _out_ of the city. Gideon was really excited to show me his favorite campsite and fishing spots!" Smiling so big I show every bracket of my braces, he puts one hand on both of our shoulders and leads us to his beat up car.

"No problem kid! Call me Grunkle Stan, free labor is free labor after all- I mean, I'm glad to have you guys keep me company." He catches himself and tries playing it off. My rolling suitcases kicks up gravel every step we take a step and makes dirt cling to my sweaty ankles.

"How about I give you a quick tour of the town. It's small and obnoxious, but you guys can explore wherever you want." I barely have a chance to buckle my seat belt before Stan drives off recklessly. I give Gideon a look of terror and hold tightly onto my seatbelt while the car swerves. He slows down at the absolute last second before entering town, probably to avoid the cops pulling him over.

"Hey Paz, there's city hall! The library, bowling alley, and _Greasy's Diner_! I can't wait to get you a Lazy Susan's coffee omelet!" Gideon practically has his face out the window, his excitement is contagious and I can't wait to explore a whole new world with Gideon by my side. Friendly faces walk around town, it is perfect weather to be outside and we are the only car on the road. A huge blue tent catches my eye.

"What's that tent for?" I ask. It is blue and white with a colorful wooden pentagram with an eye in its center on top.

"Stay away from that no good 'Tent of Telepathy', it's a freak show. _Literally_." Stan grunts and hunches grouchily over the steering wheel. Well that was weird. Gideon gives me a confused look and before we have time to ask any more questions, the town begins to fall away into trees again. Said trees are covered in an obnoxious amount of posters advertising the Mystery Shack.

"Here we are! Con, sweet, con!"

After spending a few hours unpacking, chatting excitedly, and checking out Grunkle Stan's tourist trap, Gideon and I decide to go walking out in the woods. The sun is finally setting, casting shadows through the trees and over our figures. A woodpecker catches my eye, I point my camera at it and try to get it perfectly in frame before it flies off.

"Isn't it so nice here? I wish it was like this back home, the coast is overrated." Gideon whispers as to not startle the bird, I end up with a great shot and I nod in agreement.

"I get what you mean, lake over sea any day!" I pause for a second to think. "Do you know why Grunkle Stan was so weird about that tent earlier?"

"That wasn't here last summer, so I have no clue. It sounds intriguing though." We both are quiet after that, not in an awkward way, but in a pleasant and relaxing way. I'm the one who breaks the silence.

"Let's go back for now. The train left me really tired, we can explore tomorrow." The sun slowly dipped behind the horizon, leaving purple and blue streaks through the sky. I started to yawn and Gideon caught it too, we both trek back to the Shack. Stan's converted attic was an awesome bedroom, or it will be once I'm done decorating it. After a quick dinner, lazy teeth brushing, and sliding into a pair of pajamas, we were done for. Falling asleep the second the Big Dipper shone brightly in the sky.

* * *

~Dipper Pines's p.o.v.~

"I came across two children in the woods yesterday evening, and I've never seen them before. Maybe we will have two new faces in the audience, children are always the ones to open their minds the fastest." I say without looking up from my tea. A few moments go by before I realize she didn't hear me.

"Sister?" I prod, and she breaks her gaze from the journal. She straightens up and gives me her full attention. "Yes, Brother?" She responds.

"There are two new children in town." I repeat. I can hear a faint murmur of sound from through the walls and I know that our show will soon begin. I begin to pull my heavy cloak over my suit and readjust my hanging amulet, Mabel smooths out her dark, shiny tights and straightened her headband adorned with the same gem.

"Tourist season is _finally_ upon us, dear Dipper."

Since our manager/legal guardian Bud Pines brought our show to Gravity Falls last September, we've been eagerly been waiting for the summer vacation tourists to boost business. Until now we've done weekly shows and spent our free time in Pine's Manor. The mansion on the tallest hill overlooking the forest and town.

"It's surprising how dumb this town is, you would think they would have grown tired of our show. It pays being the town darlings, doesn't it?" She continues and smirks. A light knock on the door is our cue to begin, we both stand up and prepare as normal. We hold hands in a crisscross, right in right and left in left. Our eyes close and I can feel our energy begin flowing through my veins to hers, and hers to mine, hands feeling so cold it's burning and our eyes flash open at the same instant. Eyes, hands, and amulets glow a striking cyan and in an instant it dissipates.

"Ready to begin?" I ask and hold out my hand. She accepts and we begin our waltz out onto the stage.

"Always, Brother." She replies, the curtain glides open and the lights are blinding. The audience cheers loudly at our sudden appearance. We both bow dramatically and begin our act which turns out to be no different than every other performance. Hypnotic "spells", feats of telepathy, mind reading, magic tricks, mystery, drama, intrigue, the same damn acts embellished differently each time. By the time we are finished a thin layer of sweat covered my forehead, I wipe it dry with my handkerchief and glance at Mabel. She too looked exhausted, and happy for it to be over. Using our powers for over an hour straight takes its toll but the practice is good in the long run.

"Ready to return home? She asks me from across the stage while switching from high heels to flats. The short drive through the dark is nothing exciting. Every day is the same boring act, over and over again I realized suddenly. I barely register leaving the car and dragging myself alongside Mabel to our bedroom, I kiss her forehead goodnight and fall asleep within seconds. Thankful the night is over.


	2. Grunkle Knows Best

~Pacifica's p.o.v.~

 _Dear Diary,_

 _A whole week in Gravity Falls has flown by already. We've spent the days working in the Shack, exploring the forest, and meeting people around town. I've slept deeper than I ever had, partly due to the exhaustion of having fun, and partly from the exposure to such fresh air. The one thing that's been bugging me in the past 7 days is the Tent of Telepathy. Each day my curiosity has grown stronger, and Gideon feels the same way. We decided on spending the little money Stan pay us for tickets to the show, and tonight's the night! I love magic tricks, and maybe I can get an autograph from them to add to my collection! It's been so hot I've had to ditch my favorite sweater. My sky blue tank top, white shorts, and high ponytail are the only things keeping me from panting like a dog. I wish Stan had an extra fan to spare. OH! And by the way, don't forget to send that postcard back home!_

 _-Sincerely, Paz_

I sighed in content as I closed my diary. The audience buzzed with excitement within the pale blue tent, Gideon waved a paper fan in front of his face in an attempt to cool the trapped heat to no avail. We arrived a bit too early, so I decided to write a quick entry in my diary to kill time. The lights dimmed unexpectedly and my eyes blinked to adjust to the darkness.

A spotlight illuminated the empty stage. The light shut off, and flickered back to life a second later, revealing the sudden appearance of two mysterious teenagers.

"Whoa…" I whispered underneath my breath. A boy and a girl stood confidently on stage. Their costumes were dark and strikingly grand, I could feel myself being drawn into to their aura like a magnet.

" _We, the Twins of Telepathy, invite you on a journey through the unknown mindscape of magic and mystique! Prepare to be_ _ **astounded**_ _!"_ She projected her smooth voice throughout the room and I'm fidgeting with anticipation. Her brother gives a small nod and they begin their show.

For 20 minutes I'm entertained by their telekinesis, knife throwing, and eerie cyan gems. Throughout the acts I learn that the girl's name is Mabel and her brother's name is Dipper, I can only assume he is named after the interesting Big Dipper shaped birthmark on his forehead which he holds with pride. I can't help but focus on him the entire time, the way he moves is so graceful, and his expression is so mysterious and hard to find a word to describe.

"Now we would like a volunteer from the audience, someone willing to open their mind for the world to see!" Dipper announces. Many bodies jump out of their seats, waving frantically and shouting for his attention. The crowd all suddenly stares at me, and I'm enveloped in the hot white light. It takes Gideon shaking my arm for me to realize that Dipper is pointing directly at me, he tries to hide a smirk behind his bright smile. I'm urged on by cheering and find myself climbing the steps to the stage. Dipper's eyes follow my every move and he takes my hand to guide me to a stool. Mabel gives me a quick once over and addresses the blur of figures where I once sat.

"Pacifica Northwest will now have her mind opened, her arms, legs, and voice will be under the control of my dear brother. Does the crowd have any requests for our new puppet?" She asks. My heart skips a beat when she says my full name and I can feel my palms becoming sweaty.

Dipper's eyes and amulet begin to glow a faint cyan, something I wouldn't have been able to notice from the audience. Our eyes lock together and I can't bring myself to look away. He murmurs underneath his breath and I'm suddenly trapped in a bubble containing only him and I. The roar of the stage melts away, I'm lost for hours or maybe just seconds in his eyes.

The noise floods back once more and I'm shocked back into reality. Mabel looks at me confused and the crowd is silent. I look at Dipper and he is still staring straight at me, his head tilted oh so slightly in awe and he finally snaps out of it. He looks disoriented and then extremely angry, at _me_.

"It appears that Pacifica's mind is too closed off for us to break into. May I ask for another volunteer from the audience?" Mabel stammers, something weird obviously just happened and I don't know what. Firm hands take hold of my bicep and squeeze uncomfortably tight. Dipper looms over me and guides me roughly off stage and into a small dressing room. My throat tightens up in fear, why is he so furious with me?

"What the fuck was that? How did you do that? How CAN you do that? Are you a witch? A _demon_?" He fires off at me breathlessly. With each question he takes a step closer, and I take a step back until my back is against a wall.

"I have no idea what you're talking about! I swear!" I plead with him. Dipper's eyes are icy and he clearly doesn't believe a word I say. He leans in closer and I can smell his cologne faintly lingering on his cloak. He's trying to intimidate me into giving the truth, which he's doing frighteningly well.

"How did you… ** _hypnotize me_** …?" My mind doesn't comprehend what he's asking, confusion must have been apparent on my face. Dipper sighs and gives me a foot or two of personal space, but doesn't let his deathly gaze break.

"I apologize for how I acted, it was excessive of me. But I'm not letting you out of my sight until I can figure out how on Earth you controlled me like that. Would you please sit with me while I figure this out." He clutched his nose bridge in annoyance and shoos me towards the table with his free hand.

I cautiously take a seat and hold my head in my hands. He thinks I'm a demon?

"I should have listened to Grunkle Stan." I whispered under my breath. Gideon is probably freaking out in the audience wondering where the hell we are. Dipper removes his cloak and hangs in off the back of his chair before taking a seat. He leans back on two legs and gazes at me in wonder. My cheeks burn at the attention I'm getting before I can tell them otherwise.

After maybe 5 minutes of awkward silence, there's a loud knock on the door.

"Are you in there Pacifica? Let her go, Dipper!" I hear Gideon yell. Dipper rolls his eyes and the door flies open as if a ghost wanted to invite him in. Gideon tumbles to the ground and my jaw drops.

"Wait. You're _actually_ magic? I thought everything was staged!" The past ordeal suddenly makes a heck of a lot more sense, if he is actually magic, then there was a legitimate reason why he thought I could have been a demon. If he had it, then nothing prevented me from possibly having it too. Gideon gets back on his feet and charges at Dipper, who is ignoring him and taking a sip from his cup.

At the last second before anyone could make contact, Gideon is lifted into the air and Dipper spits out his drink in disgust.

"Bleugh. I despise cold tea." He wipes his wet lip off with a napkin before even acknowledging the floating boy.

"It's not polite barging in like that, why, Pacifica and I are just having a chat. Aren't we?" He scolds. I uncertainly nod in agreement and Gideon calms down a bit. Another voice joins the ever crowding room and I catch Mabel taking in the situation.

"Who's this adorable boy? Dipper? Let him down, I'd like to visit with him." Mabel squeals with delight. Gideon is whisked off by Mabel before the whole situation made any sense.

"It doesn't make any sense to me either, darling." Dipper says, I clasp my hand over my mouth as if I muttered my thoughts out loud.

"Don't use your telepathy on me! That's so, ugh! _Privacy_ , dude!" I say and furrow my brows in disgust.

"My apologies, it's sometimes hard to tune out." We sit silent for another moment.

"Do you want to try it again? I swear I don't have magic. But maybe I could recreate what happened?" I ask softly, he thinks it over for a second and gives a curt nod.

We each lean in slightly over the table and look into each other's eyes, which is strangely intimate. His eyes slowly glaze over and his head tilts ever so slightly. His icy glare softens to the point where he looks almost vulnerable. Dipper's hand gingerly reaches out and tucks a stray hair behind my ear. My face must be as red as a tomato at this point.

"You're so... captivating..." He whispers so low I barely caught it. This is all too weird, so I snap my hand in front of his face and stand up quickly. His expression hardens once more, a hint of red graces his cheeks but it may have been nothing more than a trick of the light.

He stands up and clears his throat, extending his hand out we awkwardly shake hands.

"Thank you for coming to my show, Pacifica Northwest. Have a good evening." I nod and shuffle out of the room as fast as I can. Dozens of thoughts race through my head, the biggest one being 'What the heck just happened?" My head collides with a solid mass and I quickly regain my balance. Mabel Pines glares at me with wild eyes, and she begins circling me like a vulture. Her presence stops centimeters away from my back. I stiffen, her hot breath against my neck reminds me of a scene from a horror movie.

"I don't know what you did to my brother, but I will do _anything_ to protect him. And I mean **_anything_**." She hisses and suddenly, she's gone. The chill down my spine doesn't go away until I'm safe in bed. The Big Dipper shines through the window at the last moment of consciousness, and my hair stands on end once again.

* * *

 _ **Intense chapter is intense. Having a lot of fun writing this! Will is going to be more or less Bill, but he can only communicate through the dreamscape, unlike Bill who can actually be on Earth. It will make more sense later on, Thanks for reading!**_


	3. Dream Contracts Aren't Legally Binding?

"Howdy, Firefly! Finally looking past rainbows long enough to get a taste of the real world?" I rub my eyes and blink, I'm lost in the middle of field surrounded by forest. I whirl around in a daze.

"Who's there?" My voice drips authority that doesn't quite match up with my facial expression. The moon is only a sliver in the sky that denies me anymore light that I could use.

"Just a figment of your imagination! Nothing more than your subconcious trying to give you some of the answers you're looking for." The voice is too cheerful, but my ears perk up when he mentions answers. I'm suddenly surrounded by a heavy, blue light and the outdoors slips away to a cozy looking den with a fireplace.

"Have a seat by the fire, make yourself at home!" The voice suggests and I make my way over to a simple armchair. A dapper, blue triangle (that's something I didn't think I'd ever say) pops into existence with a puff of smoke. He only has a single eye, and reminds me of the symbol on the back of the dollar bill, but with a top hat and bow tie.

"What do you mean you had some answers? Do you mean about last night?" I question, he seems to smile in response but it's hard to tell, again, he only has an eye.

"The name's Will. I can't tell you anything that you don't already know, but that doesn't mean I _don't_ have the answers. And heck, I'm feeling generous today, you get a freebie question. Go on, hit me with it." I think for a moment, _'one question and then he will help me figure things out, that sounds fantastic!'_

"Did I hypnotize Dipper Pines?" I ask, its such a foreign question that I have to replay what I said to make sure I'm not going crazy. A second doesn't even pass by before he smugly replies.

"Define, hypnotize. Any girl can make a boy travel to la la land. Even if that specific boy is charming, mysterious, and dangerously powerful. You're not that special. And why do you even care? A magic trick went wrong, it's not like you have a special destiny to fulfill..." I slump down in my chair, even if he was rude about it, he was right, why do I even care so much about what happened?

"Don't look so down, Firefly! What would you say if I told you that you _could_ have a special destiny? Full of mystery and adventure and yadda yadda yadda. You can play a part in...something." He winks at me, clearly trying to sway me with his offerings.

"Why do you keep calling me Firefly?" I retort. Gravity Falls is just like every other normal town, sure there are a few kooky people, but there can't be anything 'destiny' related here.

"Ah, ah, ah, you already had your opportunity. Now, we have to be fair. If you want more information, it's going to cost you." Will says in a sing-songy voice.

"What _kind_ of cost?" I reply eyeing him carefully. He looks more than thrilled that he's caught my attention, and I don't like it.

"I'll give you the path to an exciting fate that has to do with what happened last night, and in return I need you to burn a book for me. It's very specific, you'll know it when you see it." He tells me calmly as if this is an everyday occurrence.

"What do you say, kid? Is it a deal?" He sticks out his spindly arm and his hand produces a small blue flame. _Burning a book seems like an easy price to pay for whatever future he is alluding to._ Nothing is telling me this is a smart deal to make with a triangle, but my hand seems to disobey. The flame is so cold it burns me, and I screech in response. I try to pull it away but he clamps down hard, allowing my flesh to sear in continuous, excruciating pain. The fire place spews out of its containment with a mighty roar, setting the room ablaze and I'm surrounded. My hand is released and Will disappears within the choking smoke.

"Will! What did you do that for?!" I yell, and try to escape the melting room. My lungs ache as each breath is poisoned. I cough and stumble, searching desperately for a door. The cold brass of a door knob makes my heart nearly jump out of my chest with happiness.

Fire licks at my legs and I desperately push through the door. I'm met with another room full of flames, and amidst it all is a red, leather bound journal with a golden, six digit hand. We are engulfed in heat moments later, the book is reduced to ash.

* * *

My body shoots up in terror, my screaming suppressed only by a fit of coughing. I'm covered in a layer of sweat and my lungs try hard to get my breathing under control.

"Are you okay, Pacifica?" Gideon asks worriedly. The nights sky leaves the room in darkness, but the glowing alarm clock reads 3:13 a.m. My nightmare must have been loud and woken him up.

"Just a nightmare, don't worry about. I think I'm just going to run to the bathroom real quick and grab a glass of water." I say croaking. I slip out of the room and down the attic stairs before he could start asking me about it. The house is eerily still, and I bump into unfamiliar corners of walls and tables while trying to navigate through the shadows. My eyes burn in pain as I flick on the bathroom light, and I go to shield my eyes with my right hand.

I stop dead in my tracks and look at my palm in horror. A triangle with an eye is etched into my palm as if someone took a soldering iron to my skin.

"Oh my god, that actually happened. What on earth did I sign up for?" I whisper yell to myself. My left hand touches the marks gingerly and I flinch in excruciating pain once more. Searching through the medicine cabinet rewards me with a tube of ointment and an ace bandage. At the very least the bandage will keep the mark hidden, I can't have Gideon getting involved in whatever I just did, or anyone for that matter.

I stare into the mirror and look hard at myself. Nothing's making sense.

Gideon's loud snores make me sigh in relief once I return upstairs. The book Will wants me to burn is oddly familiar but I can't place it. I toss and turn in bed for hours on end trying to untangle all my thoughts and fears into coherent sentences. Suddenly it dawns on me. That book was on the table in the Tent of Telepathy! The real question is, _do I dare attempt to face the Twins of Telepathy again?_

* * *

 ** _Sorry this is a bit shorter than the last two chapters. I only got like 5 hours of sleep and then had a 4 hour long doctor's appointment. Running on fumes, but I wrote this while in the doctor's appointment so I had something to put up. May undergo heavy editing. Thanks for the support! P.S. The cipher wheel is different in this story, which will be addressed in the next few chapters!_**

 ** _~Firefly~_**


End file.
